With a decision over the future of the stadium imminent – Johnson met with advisers on Tuesday to discuss progress – The Daily Telegraph has learned that the floodlights, a landmark of London’s Olympic skyline, could be removed when a new roof is fitted on the stadium.

Engineers drawing up plans for the stadium legacy have proposed removing the stanchions, which weigh a total of 600 tonnes, because the cost of retaining them was considered prohibitive.

The current roof only covers 60 per cent of the seats and a new structure with full coverage is a prerequisite of its use as a football stadium.

It is understood that West Ham want to retain the lights, however, and have considered plans that will allow them to keep the building looking as it did during the Olympics. They may also consider retaining a version of the 'wrap’ that proved controversial because of Dow’s sponsorship.

The roof is one of a number of issues that remains to be resolved in negotiations between the London Legacy Development Corporation, which is now chaired by Johnson, and West Ham, the long-term favourites to take on the arena.

West Ham remain committed to moving into the stadium and are the most lucrative option, but there are still financial hurdles to be crossed, with the mayor seeking a bigger contribution from the Premier League club.

The LLDC has a budget of £130 million for conversion costs, which include installing demountable seats on the track behind the goals, permanent hospitality suites and the roof.

This is up from the original figure of £95 million, and there is concern that the need for a sizeable contingency could drive the costs higher still. The mayor would like West Ham to help close the gap, but the club believe their offer, thought to include a share of commercial income including naming rights, constitutes a major contribution.

Were West Ham to walk away it is hard to see the stadium breaking even, let alone turning the profit necessary to underwrite the rest of the park.

Last week Johnson took a direct hand in negotiations, replacing his first-choice as LLDC chairman Daniel Moylan, who has been leading talks with West Ham and other parties. West Ham is one of four bidders interested in the arena and have repeatedly emphasised their commitment to taking on the stadium, which will host athletics in the summer and other events, including potential matches in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Leyton Orient also want to play there, the University College of Football Business want to relocate to stadium offices from Turf Moor, and there is a bid, endorsed by Bernie Ecclestone, proposing a Formula One race be staged in the park.

The LLDC board will decide on which of the bids to accept at a meeting next month, the deadline if the park is to reopen as scheduled in August 2014.

Another distinctive feature of the stadium, the pixel devices that provided a ground-breaking backdrop to London’s four ceremonies, have already been removed as they were only on-loan from the developers Crystal.

The devices made their debut in Danny Boyle’s opening ceremony and their potential to illuminate animate arenas was clear by the time Coldplay closed the Paralympics.

Reinstating the system would help establish the Olympic Stadium as a concert venue in competition with Wembley and Twickenham.

SIXTH ARREST IN OLYMPIC STADIUM INVESTIGATION

While the future of the stadium edges closer to resolution the police investigation into the rancorous bidding war between West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur continues.

The Metropolitan Police are investigating allegations by West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady and members of the Olympic Park Legacy Company that their telephone records and other private information were illegally obtained by private investigators.

Brady and the former OPLC chairman, Margaret Ford, have alleged that the snooping was carried out by investigators hired by Tottenham during the bitter first bidding phase for the stadium.

Six people have been arrested on suspicion of fraud and data-protection offences, with the most recent arrest coming the day after the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games on Aug 13. All of those arrested are due to answer police bail before the end of the year.

Among those arrested is Howard Hill, a former partner at accountancy firm PKF, who were retained by Spurs during the original bidding process. PKF admitted in the High Court earlier this year that Hill and two colleagues had passed information including Brady’s phone records to The Sunday Times.

Hill, 57, resigned from PKF in December last year and was arrested the next month. Tottenham deny any involvement in illegal activity.

BARCLAYS ARE BANKING ON HANDSHAKE

Barclays will be among those monitoring the debate over the Premier League’s pre-match handshake, reignited by Anton Ferdinand’s refusal to take John Terry’s hand at the weekend match between Queens Park Rangers and Chelsea, as it stands to lose a marketing opportunity were it to be scrapped.

The bank effectively sponsors the staged show of respect, with a branded hoarding erected behind the players when they line up at every league game.

As the league’s title sponsors, Barclays were offered the branding in addition to its existing inventory when the pre-match handshakewas introduced four years ago. The league insist that “the tail is not wagging the dog”, and its commitment to retaining the handshake routine is not commercially driven.

BOA TO COUNT COST OF TEAMGB SUCCESS

The British Olympic Association board will get its clearest picture yet of the financial cost of TeamGB’s record-breaking performance this summer when it meets on Wednesday for the first time since the Games.

A deficit of around £2 million is forecast as a result of sending the largest-ever team to the Games, which in the absence of a taxpayer bail-out will make a major dent on the BOA’s reserves.

The election of Colin Moynihan’s successor as chairman will also be discussed, with Lord Coe set for a landslide victory in the vote on Nov 7. GB Hockey president Richard Leman is currently planning to stand against him.